TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Mark 12:18–27. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The Sadducees, who were the deists of that age, here attack our Lord Jesus, it should seem, not as the scribes, and Pharisees, and chief-priests, with any malicious design upon his person; they were not bigots and persecutors, but sceptics and infidels, and their design was upon his doctrine, to hinder the spreading of that: they denied that there was any resurrection, and world of spirits, any state of rewards and punishments on the other side of death: now those great and fundamental truths which they denied, Christ had made it his business to establish and prove, and had carried the notion of them much further that ever it was before carried; and therefore they set themselves to perplex his doctrine.
I.See here the method they take to entangle it; they quote the ancient law, by which, if a man died without issue, his brother was obliged to marry his widow, Mar 12:19. They suppose a case to happen that, according to that law, seven brothers were, successively, the husbands of one woman, Mar 12:20. Probably, these Sadducees, according to their wonted profaneness, intended hereby to ridicule that law, and so to bring the whole frame of the Mosaic institution into contempt, as absurd and inconvenient in the practice of it. Those who deny divine truths, commonly set themselves to disparage divine laws and ordinances. But this was only by the by; their design was to expose the doctrine of the resurrection; for they suppose that if there be a future state, it must be such a one as this, and then the doctrine, they think, is clogged either with this invincible absurdity, that a woman in that state must have seven husbands, or else with this insolvable difficulty, whose wife must she be. See with what subtlety these heretics undermine the truth; they do not deny it, nor say, There can be no resurrection; nay, they do not seem to doubt of it, nor say, If there be a resurrection, whose wife shall she be? as the devil to Christ, If thou be the Son of God. But, as though these beasts of the field were more subtle than the serpent himself, they pretend to own the truth, as if they were not Sadducees, no not they; who said that they denied the resurrection? They take it for granted that there is a resurrection, and would be thought to desire instruction concerning it, when really they are designing to give a fatal stab, and think that they shall do it. Note, It is the common artifice of heretics and Sadducees to perplex and entangle the truth, which they have not the impudence to deny.
II.See here the method Christ takes to clear and establish this truth, which they attempted to darken, and give a shock to.
This was a matter of moment, and therefore Christ does not pass it over lightly, but enlarges upon it, that, if they should not be reclaimed, yet others might be confirmed.
1.He charges the Sadducees with error, and charges that upon their ignorance. They who banter the doctrine of the resurrection as some do in our age, would be thought the only knowing men, because the only free thinkers, when really they are the fools in Israel, and the most enslaved and, prejudiced thinkers in the world. Do ye not therefore err? Ye cannot but be sensible of it yourselves, and that the cause of your error is,
(1.)Because ye do not know the scriptures. Not but that the Sadducees had read the scriptures, and perhaps were ready in them; yet they might be truly said not to know the scriptures, because they did not know the sense and meaning of them, but put false constructions upon them; or they did not receive the scriptures as the word of God, but set up their own corrupt reasonings in opposition to the scripture, and would believe nothing but what they could see. Note, A right knowledge of the scripture, as the fountain whence all revealed religion now flows, and the foundation on which it is built, is the best preservative against error. Keep the truth, the scripture-truth, and it shall keep thee.
(2.)Because ye know not the power of God. They could not but know that God is almighty, but they would not apply that doctrine to this matter, but gave up the truth to the objections of the impossibility of it, which would all have been answered, if they had but stuck to the doctrine of God's omnipotence, to which nothing is impossible. This therefore which God hath spoken once, we are concerned to hear twice, to hear and believe, to hear and apply - that power belongs to God, Psa 62:11; Rom 4:19-21. The same power that made soul and body and preserved them while they were together, can preserve the body safe, and the soul active, when they are parted, and can unite them together again; for behold, the Lord's arm is not shortened. The power of God, seen in the return of the spring (Psa 104:30), in the reviving of the corn (Joh 12:24), in the restoring of an abject people to their prosperity (Eze 37:12-14), in the raising of so many to life, miraculously, both in the Old Testament and in the New, and especially in the resurrection of Christ (Eph 1:19, Eph 1:20), are all earnests of our resurrection by the same power (Phi 3:21); according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.
2.He sets aside all the force of their objection, by setting the doctrine of the future state in a true light (Mar 12:25); When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage. It is a folly to ask, Whose wife shall she be of the seven? For the relation between husband and wife, though instituted in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the heavenly one. Turks and infidels expect sensual pleasures in their fools' paradise, but Christians know better things - that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Co1 15:50); and expect better things - even a full satisfaction in God's love and likeness (Psa 17:15); they are as the angels of God in heaven, and we know that they have neither wives nor children. It is no wonder if we confound ourselves with endless absurdities, when we measure our ideas of the world of spirits by the affairs of this world of sense.
III.He builds the doctrine of the future state, and of the blessedness of the righteous in that state, upon the covenant of God with Abraham, which God was pleased to own, being after Abraham's death, Mar 12:26, Mar 12:27. He appeals to the scriptures; Have ye not read in the book of Moses? We have some advantage in dealing with those that have read the scriptures, though many that have read them, wrest them, as these Sadducees did, to their own destruction. Now that which he refers them to is, what God says to Moses at the bush, I am the God of Abraham; not only, I was so, but I am so; I am the portion and happiness of Abraham, a God all-sufficient to him. Note, It is absurd to think that God's relation to Abraham should be continued, and thus solemnly recognised, if Abraham was annihilated, or that the living God should be the portion and happiness of a man that is dead, and must be for ever so; and therefore you must conclude,
1.That Abraham's soul exists and acts as a state of separation from the body.
2.That therefore, some time or other, the body must rise again; for there is such an innate inclination in a human soul towards its body, as would make a total and everlasting separation inconsistent with the ease and repose, much more with the bliss and joy of those souls that have the Lord for their God. Upon the whole matter, he concludes, Ye therefore do greatly err. Those that deny the resurrection, greatly err, and ought to be told so.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
But in a mystical sense: what can this woman, leaving no seed of seven brothers, and last of all dying, mean except the Jewish synagogue, deserted by the seven-fold Spirit, which filled those seven patriarchs, who did not leave to her the seed of Abraham, that is, Jesus Christ? For although a Son was born to them, nevertheless He was given to us Gentiles. This woman was dead to Christ, nor shall she be joined in the resurrection to any patriarch of the seven; for by the number seven is meant the whole company of the faithful. Thus it is said contrariwise by Isaiah, Seven women shall take hold of one man; (Is. 4:1) that is, the seven Churches, which the Lord loves, reproves, and chastises, adore Him with one faith. Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus answering, said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, not knowing the Scripture, neither the power of God?
Thus then they do not understand the Scripture, in that in the resurrection, men shall be as the Angels of God, that is, no man there dies, no one is born, no infant is there, no old man.
But 1 say, in the bush, in which is an image of you; for in it the fire was kindled, but it did not consume its thorns; so my words set you on fire, but do not burn off your thorns, which have grown under the curse.
But when He says, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; by naming God thrice, He implied the Trinity. But when He says, He is not the God of the dead, by naming again the One God, he implies One Substance. But they live who make good the portion, which they had chosen; and they are dead, who have lost what they had made good. Ye therefore do greatly err.
And they questioned him, saying: Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children, and so on. Believing neither in the resurrection of bodies nor the survival of souls beyond death, they rightly concoct such a tale to ridicule those who assert the resurrection of bodies. Yet it could happen that such an event occurred in their nation.
(ubi sup.) And fitly do they frame such a fable in order to prove the madness of those who assert the resurrection of the body. Such a thing however might really have happened at some time or other among them.
(ubi sup.) We must here consider that the Latin custom does not answer to the Greek idiom. For properly 1different words are used for the marriage of men, and that of women; but here we may simply understand that, marry is meant of men, and given in marriage of women.
(ubi sup.) Or else; because after proving that the soul remained after death, (for God could not be God of those who did not exist at all,) the resurrection of the body also might be inferred as a consequence, since it had done good and evil with the soul.
A certain heretical sect of the Jews called Sadducees denied the resurrection, and said that there was neither angel nor spirit. These then coming to Jesus, craftily proposed to Him a certain tale, in order to show that no resurrection should take place, or had taken place; and therefore there is added, And they asked him, saying, Master. And in this tale they lay down that seven men had married one woman, in order to make men draw back from belief in the resurrection.
As if He had said, Ye understand not what sort of a resurrection the Scriptures announce; for ye believe that there will be a restoration of our bodies, such as they are now, but it shall not be so. Thus then ye know not the Scriptures; neither again do ye know the power of God; for ye consider it as a difficult thing, saying, How can the limbs, which have been scattered, be united together and joined to the soul? But this in respect of the Divine power is as nothing. There follows: For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven; as if He had said, There will be a certain heavenly and angelic restoration to life, when there shall be no more decay, and we shall remain unchanged; and for this reason marriage shall cease. For marriage now exists on account of our decay, that we may be carried on by succession of our race, and not fail; but then we shall be as the Angels, who need no succession by marriage, and never come to an end.
In another way also they are deceived, not understanding the Scriptures; for if they had understood them, they should also have understood how by the Scriptures the resurrection of the dead may be proved; wherefore He adds, And as touching the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
But I say, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. As if He had said, The God of the living, wherefore He adds, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for He did not say, I have been, but I am, as if they had been present. But some one perhaps will say, that God spake this only of the soul of Abraham, not of his body; to which I answer, that Abraham implies both, that is, soul and body, so that He also is the God of the body, and the body lives with God, that is, in God's ordinance.
(non occ.) After that our Lord has prudently escaped the crafty temptation of the Pharisees, it is shown how He also confounds the Sadducees, who tempt Him; wherefore it is said: Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection.
(non occ.) That is, because they contradicted the Scriptures, and derogated from the power of God.
Continue studying Mark 12:19 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Mark 12:19 records the Sadducees' carefully constructed hypothetical question to Jesus, designed to expose what they perceived as the absurdity of the resurrection. By quoting the Mosaic law of levirate marriage, they present a scenario involving a woman married to seven brothers, aiming to corner Jesus into a theological dilemma that would undermine the concept of an afterlife and, by extension, His authority.
Context
Literary Context
Mark 12:19 is situated within a series of intense confrontations Jesus faces in Jerusalem during the final week before His crucifixion. Following the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Mark 12:1-12), which challenged the religious leaders' authority, and the question about paying taxes to Caesar (Mark 12:13-17) from the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees step forward. Each group attempts to trap Jesus with a question, hoping to discredit Him before the crowds and find grounds for His arrest. The Sadducees' question is the third and final major challenge in this sequence, setting the stage for Jesus' profound teaching on the nature of resurrection and the power of God.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, primarily composed of aristocratic priests and wealthy landowners. Unlike the Pharisees, they accepted only the written Torah (the first five books of Moses) as authoritative Scripture and rejected many doctrines developed in later Jewish tradition, including the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and spirits. Their worldview was largely materialistic and focused on earthly life and Temple rituals. The law they cite, known as levirate marriage (from Latin levir, "brother-in-law"), is found in Deuteronomy 25:5-6. This custom mandated that if a man died childless, his brother was obligated to marry the widow to "raise up seed" for the deceased, ensuring the continuation of his name, lineage, and inheritance within the family. This practice was vital for maintaining family identity and property rights in ancient Israelite society, as exemplified in the book of Ruth. The Sadducees' question, therefore, was rooted in a real, albeit ancient, legal tradition, which they then exaggerated into a seemingly irresolvable dilemma to mock the concept of resurrection.
Key Themes
This verse introduces several significant themes. Firstly, it highlights the Sadducees' theological limitations and misunderstanding of God's power, as they attempt to apply earthly legalistic frameworks to eternal spiritual realities. Their rejection of the resurrection stems from a narrow interpretation of Scripture and a failure to grasp the transformative nature of God's work beyond this life. Secondly, the question underscores the profound importance of lineage and inheritance in ancient Jewish culture, a theme deeply embedded in the Old Testament narratives, from the patriarchal covenants to the promises of a Davidic king. Thirdly, it exemplifies the ongoing challenge to Jesus' authority by the religious establishment, who repeatedly sought to trap Him in His words. Finally, this interaction sets the stage for Jesus to reveal a deeper truth about the nature of the resurrection and the kingdom of God, demonstrating that divine realities transcend human constructs and expectations.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From διδάσκω (didaskō), meaning "to teach." This term refers to an instructor or teacher. While seemingly a respectful address, in the Sadducees' mouth, it functions as a formal, almost challenging, salutation to Jesus. They acknowledge His public role as a teacher, but their intent is not to learn but to test and expose.
A primary verb meaning "to grave," especially "to write," or figuratively, "to describe." The Sadducees emphasize that Moses "wrote" this law, indicating its divine authority and foundational status within the Torah, which was the only part of the Hebrew Scriptures they accepted as canonical. By anchoring their question in what Moses "wrote," they attempt to frame their argument as unassailable by appealing to the highest authority they recognized.
From ἐκ (ek, "out of") and ἀνίστημι (anístēmi, "to stand up"), meaning "to produce" or "beget," combined with σπέρμα (spérma), meaning "seed" or "offspring." This phrase directly translates the Hebrew concept of providing an heir to continue the deceased brother's name and heritage. It signifies the perpetuation of the family line and the preservation of the deceased's identity and property within the community, a critical social and religious obligation in ancient Israel.
Verse Breakdown
"Master, Moses wrote unto us,"
The Sadducees begin with a formal address to Jesus, "Master," immediately followed by an appeal to the authority of Moses, the revered lawgiver. This opening establishes their premise: they are presenting a scenario based on a divinely ordained law, implying that any solution must align with Mosaic tradition. Their use of "unto us" emphasizes their adherence to this specific legal framework.
"If a man's brother die, and leave [his] wife [behind him], and leave no children,"
This clause sets up the specific conditions for the levirate marriage law to apply. The death of the brother must occur childless, meaning without a male heir to perpetuate his name and inherit his property. This lack of offspring is the crucial trigger for the brother's obligation, highlighting the ancient Israelite emphasis on lineage and continuity.
"that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother."
This final clause states the prescribed action: the surviving brother is obligated to marry the widow. The explicit purpose is "to raise up seed," meaning to produce an heir who would legally be considered the child of the deceased brother, thereby preserving his name and inheritance. This provision was a social safety net for the widow and a means of maintaining the integrity of family lines within Israel.
Literary Devices
Mark 12:19 primarily employs a Hypothetical Scenario as a rhetorical device. The Sadducees construct a complex, multi-layered situation (a woman married to seven brothers in succession, all dying childless) to highlight what they perceive as the logical absurdities of resurrection. This scenario is a form of Reductio ad Absurdum, where they push a concept to its extreme, hoping to demonstrate its irrationality. The Sadducees' approach also reveals their Legalism and Literalism, as they interpret the levirate law in a purely earthly, materialistic sense, failing to grasp any spiritual dimension beyond death. There is also an element of Irony, as their attempt to trap Jesus ultimately provides Him with an opportunity to reveal profound spiritual truths that expose their own limited understanding of God's power and the Scriptures.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The Sadducees' challenge in Mark 12:19, though framed as a legal dilemma, fundamentally exposes their theological limitations regarding the nature of God, the afterlife, and the full scope of divine revelation. Their adherence solely to the Torah and their rejection of the resurrection demonstrate a worldview confined to earthly realities, unable to comprehend a spiritual existence that transcends human institutions like marriage and inheritance. Jesus' subsequent response (in Mark 12:24-27) directly addresses this, asserting that they err because they "know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." This encounter serves as a powerful reminder that limiting God to our human understanding or earthly experiences leads to profound theological error and a diminished view of His omnipotence and eternal purposes.
Reflection and Application
Mark 12:19, while detailing an ancient legal custom, serves as a profound setup for Jesus' teaching on the nature of resurrection, offering timeless lessons for believers today. The Sadducees' error stemmed from their inability to imagine a reality beyond their current experience and their limited interpretation of Scripture. They projected earthly concerns onto heavenly realities, missing the transformative power of God. This challenges us to examine our own assumptions about God's work and kingdom. Are we, like the Sadducees, prone to limiting God's power or understanding His eternal plans based solely on our present earthly experiences, cultural norms, or even our preferred interpretations of Scripture? This passage encourages us to cultivate a spiritual imagination, to trust in God's power to bring about new life beyond death, and to recognize that His ways and thoughts are infinitely higher than our own. It calls us to move beyond a purely literalistic or legalistic reading of the Bible to grasp its deeper spiritual truths and the boundless nature of God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the Sadducees ask Jesus about levirate marriage and resurrection?
The Sadducees asked this question not to seek truth, but to trap Jesus and discredit Him. As a Jewish sect, they rejected the concept of the resurrection of the dead, believing only in the written Torah (the first five books of Moses) and not in later traditions that affirmed an afterlife. They used the law of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6), which obligated a brother to marry his deceased, childless brother's widow, to create a seemingly absurd scenario involving a woman married to seven brothers. Their aim was to demonstrate what they saw as the logical impossibility and ridiculousness of resurrection, thereby undermining Jesus' teaching and authority.
What is levirate marriage and why was it important in ancient Israel?
Levirate marriage was an ancient Israelite custom, codified in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, where if a man died without children, his brother was obligated to marry his widow. The first son born from this union would be legally considered the heir of the deceased brother. This practice was crucial for several reasons in ancient Israelite society: it ensured the continuation of the deceased man's name and lineage, prevented his inheritance from passing out of the family, and provided for the widow, who otherwise might have been left destitute. The story of Ruth and Boaz in Ruth 4 provides a classic example of this custom in action.
How does Jesus respond to the Sadducees' question in the broader context of Mark 12?
While Mark 12:19 presents the Sadducees' question, Jesus' profound response follows in Mark 12:24-27. Jesus rebukes them by stating, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?" He then clarifies that in the resurrection, people "neither marry nor are given in marriage; they are like the angels in heaven." He further demonstrates the reality of the resurrection by citing Exodus 3:6, where God identifies Himself to Moses as the "God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," arguing that God is the God of the living, not of the dead, thereby proving the patriarchs were still alive in God's presence.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The Sadducees' challenge in Mark 12:19, though intended to trap Jesus, paradoxically creates a profound opportunity for Him to reveal the nature of the resurrection and, by extension, His own identity as the "Master" (didaskalos) with ultimate authority over life and death. Their earthly, legalistic understanding of "raising up seed" through levirate marriage finds its ultimate spiritual fulfillment in Christ. While the Old Testament law aimed to preserve an earthly lineage and name, Jesus, through His own death and glorious resurrection, has "raised up seed" in a far grander, eternal sense. He is the firstfruits of a new creation, the one who brings forth spiritual children, a multitude of believers who are born into God's eternal family not through earthly procreation, but through faith in Him (John 1:12-13). The very resurrection they denied is the cornerstone of Christian faith, demonstrating God's power to transcend all earthly limitations and bring forth new, eternal life. Jesus, the true "brother" and Kinsman-Redeemer, secures an eternal inheritance for His people, not through a temporary earthly union, but through His everlasting covenant established by His blood (Hebrews 9:15). His victory over death ensures that all who are "in Christ" will participate in the resurrection life, where earthly institutions give way to the glorious, eternal reality of God's presence (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).